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Unlocking the sleep-gut connection

By MiNDFOOD |
September 24, 2017

Unlocking the sleep-gut connection

Turns out there's a connection between sleep and the gut.

Unlocking the sleep-gut connection

Would you call yourself a morning person? Are you the type to rise and shine after the first alarm, or are you a perpetual snoozer? Do you only begin to function after one-too-many coffees or are you always ready to go?

It turns out there might be a little more to your inability to rise in the morning and stay aware throughout the day than we previously thought.

While we all know that adults need between 7-8 hours ofsleepeach night to function at their best, but nearly one third of the population aren’t seeing more than six. This can cause a plethora of health issues, not just sleep deprivation and exhaustion.

Now, more and more, researchers are starting to understand the huge role the gut has on everything from ourimmune systemto, you guessed it – our sleep patterns.

A study, conducted from 2009-2016 examined the sleep-microbiome connection and discovered some interesting results. Researchers found a connection between the circadian rhythm and the gut microbiome, therefore affecting how our bodies regulate processes such as eating and sleeping.

The study discovered that when the gut microbiome or bacteria of an individual was unbalanced, or not in a healthy state, the sleep cycle and amount of sleep was compromised. Interestingly, sleep disruptions also affected the gut microbiome, causing negative changes to the gut bacteria – which can turn into a pretty wicked cycle.

So how can you give yourself the best chance at making up for lost sleep?

New research shows gut bacteria can play a role in everything from bloating, food intolerances, allergies and obesity to Alzheimer’s and depression. The good news is we can heal our gut – and our health issues – by feeding ourselves the right stuff.Learn how to here.